Gasoline intake device



Sept. 16, 1969 e. a. SCHMITT 3,467,274

GASOLINE INTAKE DEVICE Filed May 22, 1967 INVENTOR GERVASE G. SCHMITT ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,467,274 GASOLINE INTAKE DEVICE Gervase G.Schmitt, 1631 Clearview Ave., Lancaster, Pa. 17601 Filed May 22, 1967,Ser. No. 640,252 Int. Cl. B65h 3/00; B67c 3/00 US. Cl. 220-86 1 ClaimABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF INVENTION It is common on cabincruisers and other power boats to have a gasoline intake located alongthe deck of the boat. The inlet is usually constructed so that the capis generally flush with the deck so that people will not trip over it.Usually the cap has relatively close threads and when the cap issecurely in place, a water-tight seal results.

One problem is that when gasoline is purchased for the boat, theattendant sometimes does not screw the cap down tightly when he replacesit. Then when the boat is in use, water passing over the boat deck mayseep past the cap and into the gas tank. If the water reaches the fuelline to the boat engine, it may cause stopping of the engine. This isparticularly hazardous if the engine goes out when the boat is far fromland.

Certain designs have been provided heretofore for gasoline intakes forboats to prevent water from entering and for reducing the danger ofspilling gasoline on the boat deck. Some devices have filters which willallow gasoline to pass but not Water. Others provide feed-back lines sothat when gasoline is being pumped into the boat, if spillage occurs,the spilled gasoline will be trapped and fed to the gas tank and not runonto the boat deck. Some of the present constructions rely on the careand skill of the attendant; others allow for certain errors such asfailing to replace a cap properly. But generally such devices arecomplicated, diificult to manufacture, expensive and then only limitedlyeffective.

A main object of this invention is to provide an improved gasolineintake device for boats and other applications.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gasoline intake devicewhich positively prevents water from entering the gasoline tank in thecase when the attendant fails to screw the cap tightly.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gasoline intake devicewherein water might seep past a loose cap is trapped in a reservoir anddischarged outside of the inlet structure.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gasoline intakedevice which is so designed for safety that if there is gasolinespillage, the spilled gasoline will be caught, and conveyed away andkept off of the boat deck.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a gasoline intakedevice of the character described which achieves the foregoingobjectives with a relatively simple design which can be manufactured andsold at relatively low cost.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent hereinafter from thespecification and from the recital in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a gasoline intake deviceconstructed according to this invention and shown applied to the deck ofa boat; and FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing by numerals of reference, 10denotes the deck of a boat, such as a cabin cruiser. The boat has a sidewall 11 and toe rail 12 along the edge of the deck. A cylindricalopening 14 is provided in deck 10 which receives the gasoline intakedevice 15 of this invention.

Device 15 is preferably made of brass. It comprises a verticallyextending pipe 20 having an upper inlet end 21 and a lower outlet end22. End 22 fits into a conduit 24 which leads to the gasoline tank ofthe boat, not shown. Surrounding inlet end 21 of pipe 20 is a collar 25having an inturned bottom portion 26 which joins the periphery of pipe20 and forms a reservoir R. The reservoir has a bottom opening 28 whichreceives the threaded end 29 of a drain line 30. The line extendsdownwardly and laterally from reservoir R and through side wall 11whereby collected liquid will be discharged outside the boat.

Collar 25 has a portion 32 which extends upwardly relative to the pipeinlet 21 and has a horizontal top flange 34 which seats against thesurface of deck 10. Collar portion 32 has a cylindrical threaded opening35 of greater diameter than pipe inlet end 21. The threads of theopening are located above the center of reservoir R as shown in FIG. 1.

For closing opening 35 a threaded cap 40 is provided. Cap 40 hasdepressions 41 to receive a spanner-key Whereby the cap may be rotatedto thread it downwardly to a position tightly closing opening 35. A lip36 around cap 40 fits into collar portion 32 and flush with the surfaceof flange 34.

Cap 40 has a downwardly extending sleeve 42 having an inside cylindricalsurface 44 which slidably engages the periphery of pipe inlet end 21.The parts are so proportioned that sleeve 42 engages the pipe inlet eventhough cap 40 is not threaded all the way down. Thus, if an attendantfails to tighten the cap after gas is pumped into the boat, the pipe 20is nevertheless secure against the entry of water. If water passing overdeck 10 and along the inside of toe rail 12 seeps between collar portion32 and cap 40, it will be deposited in reservoir R and then exhaustedthrough drain line 30. The engagement of sleeve 42 with pipe inlet end21 prevents water in reservoir R from splashing into pipe 20.

Also, when cap 40 is removed and gasoline is being pumped, if anygasoline overflows pipe 20, it will run into reservoir R and not alongdeck 10. Thus, device 15 lessens the danger of gasoline reaching thedeck. Overflow gasoline is discharged outside the boat through the drainline 30.

While this invention has been described in connection with a particularembodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is capable ofmodification, and this application is intended to cover any variations,uses, or adaptations following, in general, the principles of theinvention and including such departures from the present disclosure ascome within known or customary practice in the art to which theinvention pertains.

I claim:

1. A gasoline intake device for a boat deck comprising, in combination,a vertically extending pipe having an upper inlet end and a lower outletend, said outlet end being received in a fuel tank opening, a collorintegral with said pipe extending upwardly in spaced apart relation withrespect to said pipe, said collar having an opening above said pipeinlet and, a reservoir surrounding said pipe inlet end and formedbetween said pipe and said collar, a drain line communicating with abottom portion of said reservoir, a threaded lip on said collar, saidlip defining said collar opening and extending inwardly of A ReferencesCited I said collar toward said pipe inlet end terminating above UNITEDSTATES PATENTS said reservoir approximately half way across the spacebetween said pipe and said collar, a threaded cap for ,654,095 2/ 7 Ri e6 closing said collar opening, said cap having a downwardly 1,733,55910/1929 Sage 220 86 extending sleeve which engages and closes said pipeinlet 5 1 747 424 2/1930 Casey end in sliding close fitting relationwhen said cap is n threaded in said collar opening, said cap threads andsaid 2093398 9/1937 Arvmtz 22086 X lip threads cooperating to directwater which might seep 2,344,582 3/1944 A1166 22o86 between said cap andsaid lip into said reservoir from 10 which it will escape through saiddrain line and away RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Primary Examiner from saidpipe.

